


Anchor

by HedonistInk



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Beach, Beach Holidays, Beaches, Chicken (game of), Comfort, Comfort No Hurt, Fluff, M/M, VLD Summer Exchange, reassurance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-08
Updated: 2017-08-08
Packaged: 2018-12-12 18:28:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11742693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HedonistInk/pseuds/HedonistInk
Summary: It's not that he hates the water. Keith has nothing against the water. He can swim just fine. ...Sort of. But the ocean is... unpredictable, uncontrollable. Maybe what he needs is an anchor to keep him steady, bobbing in the waves.





	Anchor

**Author's Note:**

> My gift for Hannamina for the VLD Summer Exchange! You asked for sheith without angst so hopefully this fits what you were looking for!
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are loved and appreciated.

"C'mon, Keith! Don't be a spoilsport!" Pidge whined from her position atop Shiro's shoulders. "Join us, we need a referee!" 

"I can see just fine from here, Pidge," Keith insisted, crossing his arms and drawing his legs up towards himself in his position perched atop a worn beach towel. "I promise I can see every moment of you kicking Lance's ass from right here." 

" _ Hey! _ It's not my fault Pidge cheats! That last one totally didn't count!" Lance huffed, offended. 

"I'm the ref and I say it  _ definitely _ counted. You're just mad she's stronger than you." Keith leaned back. 

"Hey now… I think we all have our strengths and weaknesses in this game. Keith's just happens to be up there on land," Shiro chimed in. 

Silently, Keith thanked Shiro for his existence in his life as the scarred man returned everyone to the game at hand. Keith hollered and laughed and made sufficient mockery of Team Lance-and-Hunk consistently losing to Team Pidge-and-Shiro. Was Pidge playing dirty? Yes. Was Keith going to disqualify her yanking Lance off Hunk's shoulders because of that? Hell no. 

Eventually, the game moved from chicken to something that didn't need Keith's presence. Keith relocated from the sand to the nearby rocks at the base of the cliff-face. He spent his time hopping between the rocks. A misjudged landing had him slipping and landing painfully on his left hip. But it also brought him face-to-face with a small crab that blinked at him in confusion for a moment. Keith blinked back. The crab clicked a claw at him. The staring contest continued until a wave washed over his new friend and sent the crab scampering back down amongst the rocks. 

Staring at the spot where his friend had been for a moment longer, Keith hauled himself back up onto the rocks before deciding to return to the safety of the sand. 

The games continued on until Lance had coughed up three or four lungfuls of water and Coran's truck could be heard pulling back onto the crunchy pebble road, signaling his and Allura's return. The sun was starting to drop lower in the sky, although they likely had another hour or so before sunset. 

As if on cue, everyone piled out of the water. Pidge scrambled off of Shiro's shoulders in the water only to climb up onto Hunk's like some sort of small ferret, demanding he carry her back up to the house. Shiro, on the other hand, paused by where Keith was still sitting on the towel. 

"You coming, Shiro?" Pidge asked, turning back towards him. 

"I'll be there in a bit. Keith and I are going to watch the water for a while," Shiro announced. 

Keith glanced up at him in surprise before shrugging and settling back onto the sand again. He had no issue with that. 

Pidge squinted at them both for a moment before shrugging and pointing her impromptu ride onward. Lance spent the walk playfully half-trying to dislodge Pidge from her perch with no success whatsoever. 

Before long, Shiro and Keith were left alone with the sounds of the ocean and the occasional screeching bird. 

Grabbing his towel, Shiro settled himself onto the sand next to Keith. "Enjoying your beach vacation?" Shiro asked, looking out at the water. 

Keith watched him for a moment, the way his hair shifted in the slight breeze, the goosebumps that broke out against his still-damp skin, the yellow sunlight coming from behind and off to the side of them casting half of his face into light and the other half into shadow. Impulsively, Keith reached out to thread their fingers together, a small gesture, but a meaningful one. His expression quirked up into a small smile at the squeeze Shiro offered him in return. 

"I met a crab?" Keith offered. 

Shiro blinked at him for a moment in confusion before laughing. "Is that so?" 

Keith nodded, turning back to look at the ocean. "Her name is Rupert," he decided, feeling Shiro's gaze on him. 

Another small chuckle came from Shiro beside him. "Well, I hope Rupert had a good day." 

Keith hummed his agreement. 

"What about you?" Shiro asked after a comfortable moment of silence. 

"What about me what?" Keith's brows quirked down in confusion. 

"Did you have a good day? You could have joined us in the water, you know…" 

_ Oh. That.  _

Keith looked away. "I… prefer to stay on land." 

Shiro tilted his head to the side. "Something against the ocean? I've seen you in the pool before…" 

_ Damnit. _ How did Shiro always manage to hit the nail right on the head? He always cut Keith right to the quick. "…Something like that…" Keith muttered finally. 

"Something I could help with?" Shiro asked softly, running his thumb against the back of Keith's hand. 

Keith shook his head, looking out at the water again. "It's fine. I'm just… not an ocean person. I'm not that strong of a swimmer, anyway… So it's… probably for the best." It  _ was _ true, after all. And part of the root of his issue. 

Shiro hummed. "If you want to talk about it…" 

Keith stayed quiet for a long time after that. And he was thankful that Shiro didn't push the issue. Finally the words came. "You were right."

"Mmh?" 

Oh. Right. Context. 

Keith hesitated. "It's… the ocean. It's… I'm not… The currents. I'm not a strong swimmer, Shiro. I'm… I'm scared I'll be pulled under." He looked out over the water. "It  _ is _ really pretty, though. Calming." 

Shiro hummed at that, taking a moment before standing, offering Keith a hand. "How about if you're not on your own?"

"Wh-what?" Keith's head jerked up and he blinked up at him in confusion. 

"You don't have to worry about the currents… if I'm holding onto you," Shiro explained matter-of-factly. 

Keith could feel the blush creeping up his face, picturing Shiro's arms wrapped around him in the waves. "That's… I'm… that's… true…" But the undercurrent of anxiety still churned in his gut. 

"You don't have to…" Shiro confirmed, his voice quiet and soothing. "But if you're curious… I won't let go of you…" 

Keith looked out at the waves—illuminated by the dulling light of the impending sunset—and back up to Shiro. He remembered clearly how much  _ fun _ everyone was having earlier while he tripped over rocks and befriended crabs. Sure, it wasn't obligatory. And he probably wasn't missing much. And the undercurrent still terrified him. But… Shiro's smile looked so reassuring as he squatted down in front of Keith, left hand still offered out towards him. 

"…You  _ promise _ you won't let go of me?" Keith asked warily. 

"On my honour," Shiro replied with a solemn nod. "And we won't go any farther out than your chest." 

Hesitating a moment longer, Keith offered out his hand, letting Shiro pull him up to standing. 

How Shiro always managed to reassure him when he felt unsteady or unsure, Keith would never know. But something about his presence was safe…  _ reassuring. _ And in the beautiful golden sunset, it seemed even moreso. 

"You trust me?" Shiro asked, backing slowly towards the water's edge, Keith's hands clasped firmly in his. 

Keith scoffed, gaze flicking between the looming water's edge and Shiro's face. "What kind of a question is that?" 

"Keith." Shiro's voice was firm for a moment as he squeezed at Keith's hands, drawing his attention back to him. "Do you trust me to keep you safe if you do this?" 

"I…" Keith's eyes scanned Shiro's steely gaze for a few long heartbeats before he nodded. "I do. Completely." 

"Good." Shiro nodded, squeezing his hands as he took another step back. Keith could hear the waves sloshing against his ankles.  

A stronger wave brushed cool ocean water across Keith's feet and he tensed briefly. Keith let out a breath, nodding again as though he'd done something right. "Y-yeah…" 

"And do you want to do this? You  _ can _ say no," Shiro emphasised. "We'll walk away from this shoreline right now, go inside with the others, get you warmed up and dressed properly. That's entirely okay. You  _ have _ that choice." 

Keith scanned Shiro's expression again, taking in the honesty of his eyes. He looked around Shiro's shoulder, out at the water, watching the waves break a few feet out. The air was still, calm, and warm, and the waves were small. There wasn't likely to  _ be _ a better opportunity than this. And while it wasn't like he was just going to  _ get over _ his hesitation about the ocean… If Shiro was there… maybe he could at least be a support. 

Keith looked back at Shiro's face, nodding. "I… I want to do it." 

Shiro smiled at him gently. Leaning in, he pressed their lips gently together, the sheer overwhelming affection taking Keith's breath away and leaving him to gasp softly when they pulled apart. 

Shiro stepped back. 

Keith stepped forward. 

Into the water. 

Shiro turned them so that they were standing side-on to the waves, told Keith how to plant his feet, how to brace against a wave. The concept was terrifying. But… Shiro was there. It would be alright. 

The first few steps weren't so bad with Keith holding onto Shiro's hands, looking back and forth between his face and the water at their ankles… lower shins… mid-shins… upper shins… 

The first wave to nearly make Keith lose his footing came when the water's resting level was just by his knees. The current rushed out from under him, nearly dragging him down sideways with it. With a yelp, he gripped tight to Shiro's hands, his entire body going stiff and tense. 

Shiro waited for the wave to subside before stepping in closer to Keith, letting go of one hand in favour of wrapping his arm around the smaller man. He pulled them chest to chest and Keith shivered despite himself at the dampness clinging to Shiro's skin. "You're safe, Keith… I've got you. You don't have to go any further…" 

Focusing on his breathing, on Shiro's heartbeat against his cheek, Keith slowly managed to calm himself down before shaking his head. "I… I want to. It's… it's okay." 

It was slow going, the process of Shiro stepping sideways into the water along with Keith. With each step, he stopped, letting him adjust to how the waves pushed and pulled at their bodies. Shiro held him tighter each time a wave pushed against them, helping Keith learn to hop slightly with the wave rather than fighting it and winding up pushed by it, to step forward into a wave before it broke rather than letting it break against him, to turn side-on to the wave when he couldn't. 

Slowly, Keith started to feel more confident. Eventually, it was enough to pull back to simply holding Shiro's hands when the water sat mid-way up his stomach. There was a technique to this, a pattern to follow, a dance with the ocean. He could deal with that. It was… actually sort of fun. …Even if his heart raced with panic whenever he couldn't meet a wave before its crest, bracing himself for the impact and tensing sharply. 

But Shiro was there, holding him firm, keeping him on his feet. And for that, Keith was more thankful than words could express. 

When Shiro asked if Keith was ready to try something new, Keith  _ wasn't _ expecting Shiro to drop down to his knees in the water. Keith gawked at him, arms tensing up in panic as a wave came toward them, wanting desperately to pull Shiro up. But Shiro just… floated over it, bobbing along as if he were no different than the seaweed drifting by them as Keith nearly lost his balance in shock. 

"Come on… Join me? You'll float, it's okay." Shiro tugged gently at Keith's hand, a question rather than a demand. 

"That's… you'll get toppled." 

"I won't," Shiro assured him. "My whole body is a counter-weight. It's like an ocean buoy. You'll float. Just keep your feet under you and let the water hold you. You can put your hands on my shoulders." 

"I…" Keith looked at the waves, hopping another one as Shiro merely floated over it. He hesitated another moment before moving his grip to Shiro's shoulders, knuckles white and tense. He sank down after the next wave, stiffening up and holding his breath, eyes clenching shut. Desperately, Keith tried to keep his knees against the sandy floor beneath him. 

Keith felt Shiro's hands on his waist a moment later and let out his breath, opening his eyes to blink at the calm, serene face smiling at him. 

"See?" Shiro asked. "You're alright. I've got you." Shiro tugged Keith closer, letting their bodies sit flush against each other as he bounced them up and over another wave with what felt like just one push of his leg. 

Keith clung tighter to him, arms hooking around Shiro's shoulders as he tried to keep his breathing steady. "You're trying to kill me…" 

Shiro smiled at him, giving Keith's waist a squeeze. "I promise I'm not. I've kept you safe this far, haven't I?" 

"You always do." The words came out before Keith's brain could stop them and he looked away, cheeks flushed. He barely noticed as Shiro floated them over another wave. 

"Hey," Shiro called for his attention, squeezing again. 

Keith looked back to him curiously as Shiro only pressed them closer together. 

The taller man smiled, looking Keith over. "I'm proud of you, you know." 

Keith's blush darkened with embarrassment and confusion. "I… what… what the fuck's that for?" 

Shiro shrugged slightly with a bashful smile, bringing up a hand to brush the hair out of Keith's face and behind his ear. Keith gripped tighter. "For facing your fear. For trusting me. For being brave. For being yourself." 

Shiro was going to kill him with the intensity of his blush, Keith was sure of that. Keith turned his focus out to the horizon, watching the fading sunlight shimmer and reflect off of the waves. "I… I'm not all that…" 

"You are…" Shiro assured, his voice honest and warm. 

Keith looked back at him, watching the shadows and highlights of his face, watching the dancing light reflected up against the underside of his jaw from the sun. He was struck, not for the first time, by the idea that Shiro was, in a word,  _ gorgeous. _ Strong and handsome but soft and genuine. Keith couldn't help himself, leaning forward and up to catch Shiro in a kiss. It was brief, and soft, but the smile that sparkled in Shiro's eyes as Keith pulled away made his heart soar. 

"Thank you for this…" Keith breathed quietly, his face mere inches from Shiro's.

Shiro shook his head, stealing another kiss before tipping his forehead against Keith's. "Thank you for letting me give you this." 

A burst of cool breeze kicked up, sending shivers through Keith's body. 

"We should go inside," Shiro suggested, pulling back. 

Keith shook his head, gripping Shiro tighter. "Just… two more minutes… Please?" 

Shiro hesitated, looking at the fading light before looking back at Keith. He stole another kiss, letting it linger. "Only two." 

Keith hummed, letting his eyes linger shut for a moment before moving to rest his head against Shiro's shoulder, watching the water and trusting Shiro to keep him close and keep them floating together. It wasn't as bad as he'd expected. But he was sure that most of that was Shiro's presence, calming, grounding—ironic considering Keith's knees were only occasionally brushing against the sand.  "This is… it's beautiful." 

"You're beautiful," Shiro responded without hesitation. 

Keith flushed, tensing his grip for a moment in embarrassment before relaxing. "…I love you, you know." 

Keith felt a press to the side of his head,  _ Shiro  _ kissing the side of his head. "I love you too." 

Keith wanted to stay there forever. But soon Shiro was squeezing at Keith's waist again, drawing his attention, urging him to lift his head. 

"It's getting dark. We should get back in," Shiro noted. 

Reluctantly, Keith nodded, standing when Shiro told him to and letting the steady-footed man guide him back in towards the shore. 

It wasn't until they were shaking the sand out of their towels to wrap around themselves that Shiro spoke again, starting the walk up towards the beach house. "So… Rupert, huh?" 

Keith laughed, nudging into Shiro with his shoulder. "Don't judge her. She's a good crab." 

"It's not the crab I'm judging," Shiro teased, earning himself another playful shove. 


End file.
